Answer

No one can say that you “will go to hell” for this. In Jain Dharma, bondage of karma depends on your inner feelings, intentions, anger, hatred, ego, and actions.

But holding hatred, abusing someone in the mind or speech, and refusing forgiveness with anger is spiritually harmful. During Michchhami Dukkadam, the main purpose is to reduce anger, ego, resentment, and bitterness.

Explanation

Michchhami Dukkadam means: “May the harm I have caused be forgiven.” It is not saying:

• “What the other person did was okay.”
• “I must trust them again immediately.”
• “I must accept injustice silently.”

Forgiveness in Jain Dharma is mainly about purifying your own soul. You can forgive internally while still keeping boundaries with your manager.

For example, your feeling can be:

• “I do not approve of his behavior.”
• “I will protect myself appropriately.”
• “But I do not want to carry hatred in my soul.”
• “If I have hurt him knowingly or unknowingly, Michchhami Dukkadam.”

Spiritual Understanding

Jain Dharma teaches that anger, pride, deceit, and greed bind karma. Anger and hatred disturb your own inner peace first. So forgiveness is not a favor to your manager; it is a protection for your own soul.

You do not need to pretend that you like him. You do not need to excuse bad conduct. But you can try to reduce the poison of resentment inside yourself.

Takeaway

You will not be condemned simply because you are struggling to forgive. But Jain Dharma would encourage you to soften your hatred, avoid abusive thoughts and words, and sincerely say:

“From my side, if I have caused hurt knowingly or unknowingly, Michchhami Dukkadam.”

Forgiveness with boundaries is still forgiveness.